The ramblings of a pilgrim through time, space, and life.

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Welcome to June. It is already all planned out!

Boy, am I glad June is here! My wife has joined me after our long separation from job and school. What a relief. I don’t have to worry about her stressing herself out or being picked up by a much more dashing, intelligent, catch of a man.

We leave this week for what may be the trip of a lifetime. How many times in a lifetime, if ever, does one get to go to Europe for 6 weeks? We will be starting with friends in Belgium, working our way to Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Germany, The Netherlands, England, Wales, Scotland, and who knows where else we may stumble. We really cannot afford it, but why not live with some reckless abandon for a little while? There are so many friends who do so every day of their life and seem to make it through their whole lives. Granted, their quality may be diminished some. But what is lost by worry seems it might be made up by the large home and toys that the self-proclaimed responsible typically don’t get to enjoy. We leave on the 4th to return on the 16th of July.

We signed a purchase contract for a home this month. Somewhere around the 22nd of June we will be closing on a humble home in Oklahoma City. Who would ever have thought my first home purchase would be in Oklahoma City? Did I ever think I would move or live in Oklahoma City. Most certainly not.

Amanda and I just hit all three of the Idaho temples this past week. Amanda had never been to any of them. We have now hit all three Idaho and 11 Utah temples. Before year end, we will have three more in that geography alone to hit to make it complete once again. I am very sad I will be in Oklahoma City when the dedication of the Twin Falls Temple takes place. Being so close to home, and wanting a temple closer for so long, now we get one and I cannot attend. Amanda and I will be helping with the open house in July. I guess that is some solace for missing the dedication. I believe Idaho Falls and Manti are still my favorite temples. The Rexburg Temple has so many gorgeous rooms. However, for some reason I still prefer the sessions that are split up into all their sections. Manti and Idaho Falls Temples both have you moving between all the rooms. Manti has the pioneer value and beauty with a live session, but the simplicity of Idaho Falls with its rooms and movement make it a favorite. Salt Lake certainly has the beauty but the place seems more like a zoo than a temple, especially in the summer with all the sealings.

This past week Amanda spent a day with me at work doing bench testing. It was a beautiful day and we spent nearly all of it in Minidoka. The Minidoka Longhorn Cafe and Whitesides Dairy was enjoyable for me. The wastewater we play with is less than beautiful but it is part of life. Whether we like it or not, we all have waste and somebody has to deal with it. I thought Amanda was going to throw up at one point when we were doing some filteration. She kept it down, luckily. The day turned out well. Except for the fact Amanda picked up a tick somewhere. Not only did she pick him up, the tick dug in and started to sup near the middle of her calf. She was not a happy camper when she discovered him. A little polish remover and she backed right out. Hope she got plenty to eat for the long stay in the septic tank.

For the first time in what must be at least 8 years since Grandma Ross passed away, all my siblings were back together. Becky was coming through Southern Idaho so Scott organized a BBQ. All five of us where there. It was really quite a bit of fun and I enjoyed myself. Even though we were never really close, I am glad we are still cordial and can enjoy ourselves when we get together. Vicki, Dad’s first wife, was even there. Dad and Jan were there as well. Andra brought Brian and Daniel and little Daniel was certainly a favorite.

I know I have not been writing as much. Despite more people reading the blog than ever before, I just don’t feel like I have much to write. A couple of people want me to write more relevant things that would pertain to them, but how does one write interesting things for everyone? Then, how does anyone write for someone else and keep their voice and soul into it?